"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."
-Bob Marley
It's been a trying week for us Buffalonians - sports fans especially. Gone is the man responsible for bringing professional football to the Queen City (and keeping it here), leaving an uncertain future for our beloved Bills. Couple that with the hospitalization of esteemed quarterback, Bills backer, and overall supporter of Buffalo; Jim Kelly, and it's safe to say that we've seen better days.
I wish I could make things all better, but unfortunately, I cannot. I can't even promise you that things will improve in the future, but I can offer you some free music to help ease that pain. So click the links, and enjoy. RIP, Ralph.
De La Soul - Smell The Da.I.S.Y. (Da Inner Soul of Yancey)
It's almost the end of March but the Dilla tributes continue to come in. This time it's from none other than the time-honored hip hop trio, De La Soul. Their latest mixtape features 11 tracks of classic De La Soul lyrics from over the past 25 years that have been reworked over instrumentals from the late, great James Yancey. The album is available for free download off the group's website. You can also check out the "Still Shining" documentary as well as upcoming projects.
Carpet Patrol - Carpet Patrol
Carpet Patrol is a bizzare ride into the world of Berlin producers Suff Daddy and Torky Tork. Their self-titled album doesn't sound like anything you have heard from these guys before. Suff Daddy provides the grooves and bassline melodies, Torky is coming with the sick samples and a great ear for arrangements. Their music is tall, dark and grimey, a nightmare on beat street, made for the mature and strong-minded listener.
http://carpetpatrol.bandcamp.com/album/carpet-patrol
Via Rose - "Lithium"
Via Rose is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter from Chicago. Her latest track, "Lithium," features her slow, sullen delivery over ambient instrumentals and a KP & Envyi, "Shorty Swing My Way" sample. Check it out.
Jay-Z feat. Jay Electronica - We Made It
I feel like I shouldn't have to post this here because everyone's probably heard it already, but just in case you've been living under a rock/in seclusion, greiving over your busted brackets/in a coma over the past week, here's the track everybody's been fussing about. Jay-Z took some shots at Drake, and even enlisted the help of Jay Electronica, who managed to take a break from infiltrating one of the largest banking families in the world (i.e. banging Kate Rothschild) to come back to rapping. Mr. Electronica has garnered a lot of attention/praise, but I personally think this is one of his less inspiring verses. Listen and see for yourself if it's worthy of the all the hype.
